Not really a hybrid in the traditional electric motor combined with petrol or diesel motor, but the Aston Martin Hydrogen Rapide S is a hybrid of a different sort. Combining a 6.0 litre V12 running on both hydrogen and petrol, the car is the first race car to be approved by the FIA to run on hydrogen.
The Aston Martin Hydrogen Rapide S will be demonstrated at the Centenary Celebrations at Shelsley Walsh this weekend 17th and 18th August, although the car will only be run on petrol for the occasion.
The car competed in two VLN 4 hour races at the Nurburgring in April as shakedown events prior to entering the Zurich ADAC 24H of Nurburgring on 19/20 May, where it was piloted by a driver team which included Aston Martin CEO Dr Ulrich Bez.
During the race, Dr Bez became the first person ever to complete a zero CO2 emissions race lap of the famous Nurburgring Nordschliefe, going on to cover nearly 40 kms at racing speed running on pure Hydrogen before the car seamlessly reverted to petrol running as the Hydrogen pressure dropped below its minimum level.
After Nurburgring the car did a demo lap at Le Mans just before the 24h race, but it has not been driven in competition anywhere else in the world until coming to Shelsley Walsh.
The Rapide S was co-developed by Aston Martin and Austrian hydrogen internal combustion engine specialists Alset GmbH.
All the action starts at 9am on both days and tickets are available on the gate or to find further information, visit www.shelsley-walsh.co.uk
Source; Aston Martin
